Presidential Campaign

It’s safe to say that there has never been an election with the impact of the one that took place in November. Sentiments are still running high in the days leading up to the inauguration of Donald Trump.

Facebook has become a big platform for those struggling to understand what happened and how to cope with the future. People are reflecting, reaching out to each other, and mobilizing, Branford residents included.

Pundits and concerned citizens alike are trying to understand how Donald Trump won the presidential election when almost all barometers pointed toward a Hillary Clinton win. The fact that the popular vote in favor of Clinton has reached 2.5 million despite Trump winning the Electoral College, 306 votes to 232, is concerning to many.

Discussions abound about whether the Electoral College is relevant to today’s political landscape. Is it a good way to elect the President?

It was a good night for Democratic incumbents in Branford Tuesday as State Sen. Ted Kennedy Jr. and State Rep. Lonnie Reed both claimed victory. State Rep. Sean Scanlon, D-Branford and Guilford, was running unopposed.

By contrast, the results of the contentious and unprecedented presidential race brought victory to Republican Donald Trump who becomes the nation’s 45th president in a stunning defeat of Democrat Hillary Clinton. Republicans kept control of the Congress as well. Clinton carried Connecticut but Republicans made significant gains in the state senate and the house, the CT. Mirror reports.

Longtime Branford election officials said they have never seen anything like it: hundreds of people lined up before the polls opened at 6 a.m., standing in line, eager to vote in an historic presidential election.

“I did vote for Trump,” said 100-year-old Fidelo Secondino after he voted at the Community House in District 1 in Branford Tuesday. Whatever he is has to be better than Clinton.” He listed a litany of reasons he believes Hillary Clinton is unfit for president, going back to when her husband was governor of Arkansas.

When Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-3rd) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal arrived at a Branford Democratic gathering at the Owenego Inn last night the room was abuzz with the news that FBI Director had cleared Hillary Clinton as a potential target of a renewed investigation in connection with a search of emails found on a Clinton top aide’s computer.

Echoing an onslaught of criticism Comey faced, knowing that his office was not supposed to announce or comment on any investigation in the days before a national election, DeLauro said he should not have “opened that door. Nevertheless, he has recanted tonight. I don’t know if there is time enough to go back to build up the momentum to build back a potentially Democratic House of Representatives.”

Are you feeling overwhelmed by this election season? You’re not alone. On Tuesday, we’ll have some closure. In the meantime, escape from the political fray by listening to some jazz at Ayuthai on Sunday night. It’s sure to soothe the troubled soul!

Saturday, Nov. 5

Ed Marcus understands politics like few others. As a savvy Democratic Party leader and then supporter for more than a half century, he thought he had seen it all.

Until this presidential campaign. Even Marcus he was taken aback when FBI Director James Comey pulled an October surprise last week, announcing speculation about additional Hillary Clinton emails found on a computer that did not belong to her.

Marcus was a former chairman of Democrat State Central Committee and a formidable State Senate majority leader in Connecticut. In 1968 he served as chairman of the Democratic rules committee for the national presidential convention held in Chicago. His close ally, the late John Bailey, was the Democratic national chairman that year. This was long before the Internet, smart phones, and tweets.

“We always see an increase in voter registration during the Presidential election, even though municipal elections are important,” said Republican Registrar of Voters Marion Burkard less than two weeks before this year’s election.

The online, by mail or in-person deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 presidential election is this Monday, Nov. 1. This is the first presidential election year in which online registration is available.

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman stopped by the Branford Festival Saturday afternoon to lend her support for fellow state Democrats seeking re-election in November, to pose for photographs with them and to say hello to voters.

The Eagle caught up with her for an interview after she stopped by the Democratic Town Committee’s tent. There, she shared her opinions on the upcoming local and national elections, and the role she expects her party to play.